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From all of us at the Rock River Patriots, we wish everyone a happy Independence Day!

Today is an important day to reflect on Freedom and what it means to each and every one of us. What are the costs of freedom? What is freedom to you? Are we still even free? What are you willing to do in the freedom fight?

What does freedom mean to me? Here is the transcript of a speech I delivered several years ago at an event. I know these are feelings echoed throughout the freedom movement. I know I am not alone when I feel these emotions.

I am one of the members of the Rock River Patriots (RRP) leadership team.

I must admit it was a struggle for me to decide if I wanted to be involved with this event because as many of you know I’m not a fan of either party. I became disillusioned with what I saw as I became a conservative activist by people who are supposed to be on “my side”. I saw how the leadership of the party attempted to control good honest patriots or play political games. It became obvious many in “leadership positions” in both parties do not have the best interest of the people in mind.

John Adams said: “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”

I would consider myself a constitutionalist. An even better term would be an individualist, which is the constructive opposite of a collectivist. We are endowed with our rights by our Creator as individuals. As a Christian, I am saved as an individual. I don’t believe in “the greater good for the greater number”, which is the essence of collectivism. By doing so, the rights of the individual always end up being sacrificed for some purpose by the government. Those rights are rarely, if ever, given back.

Even in the context of so-called conservatives, we have collectivism in the party system. Many patriots are afraid to stand up and go against the group because of what will happen from those in “leadership” positions if they do stand up for what is right.This is something the RRP have personally witnessed in the Wisconsin Legislature, and continues to this day.

Much of what I say applies to both parties.

Both parties are guilty of violating our liberties every day.

The Democrat Party has been doing that by creating the dependency / entitlement / class warfare state.

The Republican Party aided by the Democrats has created a virtual police state to fight the war on terror putting into place measures like the Patriot Act that have been used against ordinary American citizens. Coincidentally, of all the bulk data collection used under the Patriot Act, it has not been used to stop one terrorist attack.

We see many in both parties as different sides to the same BIG GOVERNMENT PARTY. Our goal is not the interests of a party, but about doing what is right, moral, and constitutional.

RRP warned early on about the draconian measures like the Patriot Act being used against ordinary Americans. We were called conspiracy theorists, and told we are part of the tin foil hat club”. They obviously had to attack the messenger, because our message is reasonable. Are we so unpatriotic to ask that the government obey the 4th Amendment and obtain a search warrant? With all of the resources of the government, is it really that difficult?

On that note…I mentioned we have been called Conspiracy Theorists in an effort to make you believe that we are crazy, and our beliefs are not based on any sort of evidence.

What is a conspiracy? A conspiracy is simply an agreement between two or more people to do something. That’s it! History is full of conspiracies!

Look at the government actions in the recent past. It is full of conspiracies:

Benghazi…Letting American diplomats and security personnel die at the hands of groups aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. We still don’t know the real story!

The IRS scandal against TEA Party and Patriot Groups…Targeting us because of our religious and political beliefs.

Are all examples of a government out of control! This is not freedom to me. These are the acts of a nation moving toward a totalitarian system.

Why don’t we have people calling for the abolishment of IRS in light of the scandal? The RRP have seen this abuse first-hand being targeted.

I know I’m not the most perfect person in the world. God knows I learned long ago how imperfect I really am. I need a Savior because without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I would be even worse than I am already.

That brings us back to the whole issue of freedom. What do I think freedom means and where did it originate?

“Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons.” – Ron Paul

The Declaration of Independence spells out the origin of our freedom. The declaration states that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To SECURE these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Our founding fathers had a deep knowledge of history and of natural law. Freedom predates government. Freedom originates from God. Ultimately, God gave us a choice in having a relationship with him. We have the ability to accept his offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ or reject it. The Bible tells us “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

Our founding fathers understood that man is not fundamentally good, as many in the progressive movement would like you to believe. History proves just how bad man can be, and how government has been used by bad people to do horrendous things. We do not need to look very far back in history to see the millions killed at the hands of repressive governments.

What about the 50 million + abortions that have occurred since Roe v. Wade? Destroying an innocent baby in the womb proves how deeply flawed we all are. Consider the Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell. His “clinic” was an abortion shop of horrors. Babies were allowed to be born and then Gosnell would snip the spinal cords of these children. This is depravity!

Our founding fathers recognized the primary reason to have government was to secure our liberties. The government’s job is not to keep us safe. It is to keep us free!

Benjamin Franklin told us those willing to give up essential liberty for temporary safety deserve neither.

He understood (as they all did) that the moment you trade safety for liberty, the government will always end up taking more power and securing itself.

So what does freedom mean to me???

Freedom in its most basic sense, is the ability to live free from government interference into my life. As long as I am not causing harm to someone else, I should be free to live as I see fit.

Freedom to me is being able to speak out and criticize my government without fear of being audited by the IRS.

Freedom to me is having a populace that is free to investigate the actions of the government without fear that their computers will be hacked by the NSA or journalists be intimidated.

Freedom to me is being able to give as much money as I want to support any organization, candidate, or charity I choose.

Freedom to me as a law abiding citizen is being able to carry a gun open or concealed without a permit.

Freedom to me is being able to own a gun that goes BANG, BANG, BANG with each pull of the trigger instead of just BANG, without jumping through every hoop imaginable.

Freedom to me is being secure in my person, my house, my papers, and my effects and only be subjected to a government search with a warrant signed by a judge.

Freedom to me is being given due process and a fair speedy trial by jury of my peers.

Freedom to me is being able to choose the foods I eat…even if I want to consume raw milk.

Freedom to me is allowing me to keep all the fruits of my labor and not be over-taxed and over-regulated.

Freedom to me is abolishing the IRS and instituting a consumption based tax system.

Freedom to me is being able to engage in commerce wherever and whenever I see fit without government interference.

Freedom to me means I can choose whether or not I want to buy health insurance.

Freedom to me means allowing unborn children the ability to choose what they want to do with their life.

Freedom to me means having a sound monetary system that is not run by a private banking cartel.

Freedom to me is having local control of the educational system, and allowing the parents to decide where their educational dollars go to educate their childen.

Freedom to me is only fighting wars declared by Congress with a defined mission, objectives, and time tables.

“It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.” – James Madison

So now the question is where do we go from here?

The answer does not exist in the latest greatest personality or hopeful in any political party. As people, we are all fallible. Instead, we need to adhere to the principles of freedom. View every prospective candidate through that lens, and decide based on both their words and actions, if they friends of freedom. If they have to do formulate agreements and pass bills in secret, they are not a friend of freedom.

Our founders understood that our Constitution is for a moral and religious people is wholly inadequate for any other.

Our first revolution didn’t start by a political party…It started in the pulpits. How many churches are failing their members by telling them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear?

God fearing men and women pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to do what was right and just. What are you willing to do for your freedom?

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have removed their only firm basis: a conviction in the minds of men that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” – Thomas Jefferson

Only with God’s help can each one of you fulfill your calling. Only with God’s help will you have the strength to stand against all odds.